Bail hearing held for former Proctor Academy student accused of sexual assault

Bail hearing held for former Proctor Academy student accused of sexual assault

Derek Tillotson accused of assaulting 16-year-old girl

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Updated: 6:25 PM EST Dec 20, 2016

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WEBVTT CASEINVOLVING A PRIVATE BOARDINGSCHOOL.19-YEAR-OLD DEREK TILLOTSONAPPEARED IN COURT FOR A BAILHEARING, RECENTLY INDICTED ONTHREE ALTERNATE COUNTS OFAGGRAVATEDDED FELONIOUS SEXUALASSAULT.>> THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDINGTHESE ALLEGATIONS INVOLVE THEFORCIBLE RAPE A FELLOW STUDENTAT PROCTOR ACADEMY WHEN THEDEFENDANT WAS 18 AND THE FELLOWSTUDENT WAS 16.REPORTER: ACCORDING TO A LETTERSENT TO PARENTS BY THE SCHOOLTHE ALED INCIDENT APPEARHAPPENED IN OCTOBER OF 2015.IT SAYS TILLOTSON WAS LET INTOTHE GIRLS DORMITORY AFTER HOURSBY DORM RESIDENTS.THE STATE SAYS WITNESSES WILLTESTIFY THAT HE HAD BEENDRINKING AND WAS INTOXICATED,AND TELLS THE COURT THAT HE WASARRESTED THIS SPRING FORUNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF ALCOHOL.>> THE STATE RECEIVED POLICEREPORTS A LITTLE WHILE AGOINDICATING AMHERST POLICEDEPARTMENT ARRESTED THEDEFENDANT IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR.REPORTER: THE STATE ASKED THATHE BE REQUIRED TO TAKE PART INPRETRIAL SERVICES TO IDENTIFYANY SUBSTANCE ABUS ISSUES, BUTTHE JUDGE DID NOT REQUIRE IT.>> THIS WAS A SATURDAY NIGHT ATSCHOOL.MANY IF NOT ALL OF THEWITNESSES, STUDENT WITNESSES INTHIS CASE, WERE ALSO DRINKING.THAT'S NOT AN EXCUSE, I DON'TOFFER THAT AS A DEFENSE.I OFFER THAT, THAT IT DOESN'TSHOW IN AND OF ITSELF AN ISSUEWITH ALCOHOL.REPORTER: THE JUDGE WARNED THATTILLOTSON WILL GO TO JAIL IF HEBREACHES BAIL CONDITIONS.>> AFTER TODAY HE WILL BE ONBAIL, HE TREATS THAT VERYSERIOUSLY AND TAKES THE CHARGESAGAINST HIM VERY SERIOUSLY.REPORTER: WE LEARNED IN COURTTHAT TILLOTSON PUT OFF GOING TOCOLLEGE THIS FALL TO DEAL WITHTHE CASE AND THAT HE'S LIVINGWITH HIS PARENTS.HE HAS A JOB AND IS PLAYINGHOCKEY.ANOTHER COURT HEARING WILL TAKE

Bail hearing held for former Proctor Academy student accused of sexual assault

Derek Tillotson, 19, appeared in a Merrimack County courtroom for the hearing. He was recently indicted on three alternate counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault.

"The circumstances surrounding these allegations involve the forcible rape of a fellow student at Proctor Academy when the defendant was 18 and the fellow student was 16," Assistant Merrimack County Attorney Kristin Vartanian said.

According to a letter sent to parents by the school, the incident happened on the Andover campus in October 2015. School officials said Tillotson was let into the girl's dormitory after hours by dorm residents.

Prosecutors said witnesses will testify that Tillotson had been drinking and was intoxicated. Vartanian said Tillotson was arrested in the spring and charged with unlawful possession of alcohol.

"The state received police reports just a little while ago indicating the Amherst Police Department arrested the defendant in April of this year while this investigation was pending," she said.

Prosecutors asked that Tillotson be required to take part in pretrial services to identify any substance-abuse issues, but the judge didn't require it.

"This was a Saturday night at school," defense attorney Donna Brown said. "Many, if not all, of the witnesses, who are the student witnesses in this case, were also drinking. That's not an excuse. I don't offer that as a defense. I offer that it doesn't show in and of itself an issue with alcohol."

The judge warned Tillotson that he will go to jail if he breaches his bail conditions.

"After today, he will be on bail," Brown said. "He treats that very seriously. He treats the fact that these charges are pending against him very seriously."

Brown said Tillotson put off going to college this fall to deal with the case. He's living with his parents in Bow, has a job and is playing hockey.